The Millennium Challenge Corporation, MCC, has disclosed that Zambia has successfully been selected for a five-year United States foreign aid agency compact large scale funding for poverty reduction.
And MCC has since pledged to work with various stakeholders to find lasting solutions, through the compact fund, to the current economic challenges that the country is facing.
MCC Deputy vice President, Darius Teter, explained that the compact fund is a five year project grant, aimed at reducing poverty in developing countries through sustainable economic growth.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka today, Mr. Teter said MCC in Zambia would implement the compact fund through stakeholders’ participation because they play a vital role in identifying needy investment areas for the country.
He explained that enhancing stakeholders’ participation would help achieve broad based understanding on sectors that require immediate developmental attention in the country.
He noted that his organization would ensure that local people also participate in economic growth through the creation of more employment opportunities.
He, further, called on civil society groups to help identify development projects that could impact positive on efforts of promoting investments in key sectors of the economy.
He cited the education, transport, agriculture and health as sectors earmarked to benefit from the fund.
And MCC Senior Director in the Department of Compact Development, Kyeh Kim, explained that there is need for Zambia to come up with a target approach if the fund is to benefit many people.
Ms Kim said MCC will ensure that it assists government to reduce poverty through the policies of good governance and economic growth.
Zambia is among the 18 countries that have qualified to the Compact global United States Government funding through the Millennium Challenge Account, MCA, after being on a threshold programme since 2004.
ZANIS/MM/ENDS/SJK
This sounds like a good start! Help is there but our government is a worrying factor.
very funny,i just saw a commercial for wspa asking for donations for neglected animals around the world. there was a picture of a dog in asia.what came to mind is how poor countries cant even care for its people let alone pets..the developed countries dont just need to donate for poor countries but for their animals care too.imagine.minutes later i turn on my pc, the first thing i read is AID…
Jamaco, its so easy to blame the Government all the time. Think what are ordinary Zambians doing to better their lives? I think not much. Foreigners came to Zambia and made money when all the economic indicators where positive…. since then they have left. Zambians are very dosile people. Unless the Zambians themselves know what they want, funding like this will always go to waste. Japan is what it is today not becoz of its Govenment or the funding it got but for the People were ambitious. Tokyo rose from nothing but hard work.
Bhutta it is the attitude of the government towards Zambians that leads to most of them becoming docile. As Mbulawa (below) has put it you can not look at Zambians with a one eye and when foreigners come you use both eyes. We will end up praising foreign investments all our lives not because the Zambian people are unable but because the government neglects their participation. There is too much talking done but no one comes up with simple policies to make Zambians participate fully in the development of the country. I have a feeling the government would rather see a foreigner get rich than a zambian make it. It is this distrust that is affecting the nation badly. Invest in the People.
Bhutta how did these foreigners find themselves in a position to make this money? Didnt the Zambian govt favour them with tax holidays and other incentives? It is not zambians in general who are docile. It is your relatives in govt. A tax deferrement for a Zambian company has knickers of govt, mmd officials and people like in a twist. You never make noise when these same foreigners you are praising evade tax.
There’s need for the govt to properly prioritize issues in order to appreciate this aid. Mr. RB, please get advice from the economic experts and not the cadres.
this is the way to go.
FINALLY IT HAS COME. IT HAS ONLY BEEN APPROVED BECAUSE WE HAVE NOW PASSED THE NEW ANTI CORRUPTION POLICY WHICH LEVY FAILED TO DO FOR OVER 7 YEARS
be good and you will just enjoy the windfalls.thank you america for thinking about our poor sistrens/brethrens.
Until the conditions of the grant are known, it is is premature to celebrate this gesture. There is nothing free in politics. These things come with strings attached, some are explicit others are implicit, some are made public, others are kept silent. What is always true, is that the ramifications take place over a prolonged period of time and the donor country is always the chief beneficiary in the long term.
I agree with you big time, there are definately conditions to the package. However, if the funds are put to good use, a lot of lives can still be saved. So in that sense, we should be grateful to the yankees.
I believe that the Conditions attached are that of making a change in Leadership that makes the fighting of poverty a favorable task. Most Governments luck policies that channel donations to the very projects intended to fight poverty. Most of the reasons why donations fail is because of excessive corruption within the government. Most donators like the US come with expert advice of restructuring the policies. The politicians hesitate taking this advise because they question it just like some of the bloggers here. There is nothing wrong with that but in the end they make no changes and so the funds go to waste. It is just the stubbornness within the government that has to be broken.
an you exprct RB to do what? this money is going to RB and his Bandits retirement fund.
why does Edith Nawakwi always look untidy? Does she not have family and friends to direct her?
When shall we stand on our own,why then did we get Independence,we should have let them rule us for life,cause it seems we cant take care of ourselves,we should start viewing ourselves on the eve of battle. We are nerved for the contest, and must conquer or perish. It is vain to look for present aid: none is at hand. We must now act or abandon all hope! Rally to the standard, and be no longer the scoff of mercenary tongues! Be men, be free men, that your children may bless their father’s name
SON, STOP IMITATING ME AM INVICIBLE
I meant invincible,For your own inforamtion remember that Charity seperates the rich from the poor; aid raises the needy and sets them on the same level with the rich.Catch you Later
I meant Information,guess am tired,whatever it might be son always remember that Foreign aid is nothing but a transfer from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries
Guess am contradicting myself or maybe AID itself means alot of things,trustly I dont Know,whatever it is ,we take it,since we are poor.God Bless zambia
My friend, the fact that one is poor does not mean one should take whatever is on the table. Some of this so called aid ends up being worse than having a noose round one’s neck. Even Loan Sharks pretend to be saviors when it suits them. My point is, one should always be very clear about the consequences os accepting aid, charity or whatever title is attached to conditional assistance.
Banda aufwa bwino kwati katwishi.I think bakalyamo abanda.
Koma a Banda niwoina pa menso.
Wel this AID thing is a good thing if policies and regulations are adquate. I would have rejoiced if this was under Levy. This Banda of ours does not appreciate this. I have no idea how he makes of this.
Blessed is the hand that giveth than the hand that taketh.Sabona Bazalwane?(How are you brethren).
When are we going to stop receiving? And there will be no proper accountability for this money.How many times has Zambia received money? So many times but one cant just see any development despite receiving money from countries like,USA,Japan,Britain,China and other great European countries.What really is the problem with african leaders and our dark skin? Awe chilankalipa mwe.
Our US brothers are willing to help but the money will enter into the selfish pockets of Nyama Soya and his beggars, Big Sugar is vision less. Mona pamenso.
Interesting on how this foreign aid will prove to be different from the previous ones. Poverty levels must be addressed by the govt. itself.
Can someone please provide me with details for registration for prophet philip Banda’s confference .is there online registration? Phone number or email adress will do cause i dont have any chance of makiing it to mulugushi to register today.pls help.([email protected])
Our president looks like he’s crying in this pic.Look at the white guy.He seems surprised at RB’s face.Not knowing whether to smile back or to give him a shoulder to cry on.
Zambia cries the loudest when there are signs that AID is about to be given. And when Aid finally comes you get the all lot of the president’s face ,as can be seen from the photo above, full of smiles. Banda can’t help it but doze as usual in front of His master’s contenace. Don’t be deceived ,though, its a facade; becoz behind that face lies greed, a lack of plan and selfishness. Cry the LOUDEST mother Zambia. It has happened before and when the Bazungus qualified Zambia as a HIPC a couple of years ago, I mean the president then LPM SC MHSRIIP celebrated. The idea is don’t develop so that handouts which are not free for that matter can come to your country. CRY THE LOUDEST MOTHER…
Yes they must see the poverty before the can say ” Yes now we can help You because we have seen that you are poor” So go slow and keep the tempo. QUALIFY to be power by not embarking on home tailored developmental activities. So much has been said bout Libya’s Gaddaffi as regards international isolation and working hard in turning the economy of his country from the inside out and turning the desert country into a nation of green vegetation not from handouts rather from Hard work. But now its the Bazungus playing the begging role in Libya. Ask france,USA,Germany and the lots they will whisper to ya.
I hope this will not just end up in brown envies with cadres after dancing at airports.
someone please tell me : In the pic above,is RB sleeping ? sam1 confirm please.
RB is always sleeping at the switch.
someone again please tell me :Is the whiteman in the above pic,related to Tetamashimba?check his sirname………..heh heh he heh he heh heh
I wonder if the Zambian government will adhere to the clear instruction to include the civil society groups to help identifing development projects that could impact positive on efforts of promoting investments in key sectors of the economy.
But anyhow, lets wait and see
I encourage all interested parties to examine the Millennium Challenge Account website, to learn more about what Zambia’s eligibility means, and how MCC works with partner countries. I think you will find that we set a high standard for transparency and accountability.
http://www.mcc.gov
Sincerely,
Darius Teter
Vice President
Millennium Challenge Corporation
Dear Mr Darius Teter. Its encouraging to see you put a comment yourself. I am happy. I wished to have a meeting with you. Yours sincerely.